Sorry, but this post is a bit squirrely. Long and squirrely. Stay with me through the story for the winner of the “name that squirrel contest”. Maybe grab a bowl of walnuts to munch on while you read . It’ll help. I HATE long posts, but I just couldn't help myself…
--------------------------------------------------------------------It was dark in the Bunny Hill Studio, and everyone had gone for the evening. “Shhhh” said Bitty Kitty, “be quiet or they’ll hear us! We HAVE to talk”. Bitty Squirrel, Bitty Dog, Bitty Bunny and Bitty Lamb were wide awake and listening, but Bitty Bird was sleeping in her nest.
“Have you noticed what’s been going on around here for the past few weeks? All I’ve heard is squirrel this, and squirrel that”, whined Bitty Kitty! “I for one, am sick of it!”
Bitty Squirrel squirmed a bit on her cushion. The talk was making her nervous, as the topic was about a relative of hers.
“She’s a rodent! That squirrel is a rodent, plain and simple”, Bitty Kitty meowed. “Look at all the attention she’s getting! I’m a cat with the highest of pedigrees, and no one goes on and on about me!"
Bitty Squirrel was upset. She didn’t want Bitty Kitty mad at her, and being part of the squirrel family just might do it.
“Stop!” said Bitty Dog. “That squirrel is getting attention because she’s on a quilt! She’s appliquéd! Why, we’re just stuffed! An appliqué squirrel should have a fancy name. She’ll probably be around a lot longer than we will. She’ll be loved by a family and hung on a wall, or maybe used to cover a bed. We’ll be stuck on a shelf, stuck in a drawer, or, stuck by a pin! Besides,” said Bitty Dog, “you already have a name! Bitty Kitty is a great name!”
“Stuck in a drawer” said Bitty Kitty? “You’re kidding right? Why would anyone stick me in a drawer? I’m the perfect body!”
And so on it went throughout the night. Jabbering away about the squirrel’s new name and what it should be. Bitty Bunny wanted the name to be “Biscuit” and Bitty Lamb thought it should be “Penelope”.
It wasn’t until the sun was coming up that Bitty Bird finally awoke. She stretched her wings, and hopped out of her nest. “What’s all the fuss about”, she asked and all the animals told her. “Weren’t you listening last night when Anne left the studio?” asked Bitty Bird. Anne said something about “Henrietta Whiskers” being a perfect name for a squirrel!”
“Just great” said Bitty Kitty with a whiny little meow. “I guess the name is cute, but not as cute as me!” She gave herself a little lick and tried to look as pretty as ever.
And so it was. The Bunny Hill squirrel finally had a name! Henrietta Whiskers!
--------------------------------------------------------------------
Twila Dockter you are the winner of the gift basket! I loved the name and the story you submitted…here’s Twilla’s story…
“Hi Anne,
Many years ago, my son found a baby squirrel, cold and half dead. He brought it home and begged me to save it. I knew we needed to get it warm first, so while I prepared a basket with a hot water bottle, my son tucked the little fellow inside his shirt.
We raised this little guy to adulthood and the name Tyler gave him was Henry Whiskers. We never really had any squirrels in our neighborhood, but after releasing Henry I noticed the population grew quite a bit. Tyler always said Henry found a “quirrel friend”. I think he was right!
My son passed away 10 years ago at the age of 14, but I swear I just saw Henry the other day. You see, Henry had an accident where he lost most of his tail, and the squirrel I saw had just a stub of a tail too.
You call your squirrel a girl, so I would like to submit the name Henrietta Whiskers. I’d like to think there are several squirrels out there, related to our little Henry”
Thank you,
Twila Dockter
Twila, this basket is on it’s way to you and Henerietta will make her debut in a future Bunny Hill pattern.
For the rest of you, if the name you submitted was mentioned in the story, send me an email, along with your address and you can choose ANY Bunny Hill pattern!
If you’d like to see some of the names that were submitted, click here and click on the file! Be sure and enlarge it to at least 150%. Makes reading a lot easier.
It was amazing to see all these names! Nutmeg and cinnamon were the most popular of all. I loved them too! Oh if only I could pick them all!
Have a wonderful Thanksgiving. My family is feeling a little better, but we’ll still be having a quarantine Thanksgiving. Some of my family will be here and the “sickies” will have food delivered to them!
Hugs,
Anne
